Animal waste disposal apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for disposing of animal waste includes a receptacle which receives animal litter. A sieve is placed within the receptacle to rest therein beneath the animal litter. The sieve includes openings sized to allow particulates to pass therethrough but to impede the passage of solid waste therethrough. To remove the solid waste, the sieve is provided with handles so that it can be lifted from the receptacle and turned or otherwise positioned to allow the waste to fall there off of. The apparatus includes a waste-guiding device which fits over the receptacle to define an opening to help in guiding the animal to deposit waste in the receptacle. The waste-guiding device, in one embodiment, is formed in two semi-circular portions with each being hingedly secured to the receptacle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for disposing of a waste from an animal, comprising: (a) a receptacle having a base and wall surrounding said base and projecting generally away from said base; and   (b) a sieve for removing a solid waste containing material from said receptacle, said sieve being adapted to rest in said receptacle and being capable of placement into said receptacle when said receptacle contains an animal litter material;   (c) said sieve including at least one handle secured thereto for allowing said sieve to be lifted out of said receptacle without requiring a hand to be placed within said animal litter material; and   (d) an annular waste-guiding member adapted to fit over said wall of said receptacle for defining an opening through which said animal deposits said waste; said waste-guiding member including an intermediate portion, an outwardly projecting portion depending from said intermediate portion, an upper portion extending from said intermediate portion and a downwardly projecting wall depending from said upper portion, said intermediate portion, said upper portion and said downwardly projecting wall forming a cavity within which a portion of said handle may be disposed when said waste-guiding member is disposed on said sieve.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus for disposing of waste from an animal, said apparatus comprising: (a) a receptacle for receiving an animal litter material, said receptacle having a base and a wall projecting generally upwardly and away from said base; said wall of said receptacle including an outwardly projecting flange formed at least about a portion of a circumference of said wall;   (b) a sieve disposed within said receptacle, said sieve having a plurality of openings sized for allowing particulates to pass therethrough while preventing solid waste from said animal from passing therethrough; said sieve including a pair of handles fixedly secured thereto and projecting upwardly away from said base and generally parallel to said wall;   (c) an annular waste-guiding member adapted to fit over a portion of said wall to define an opening through which said animal may deposit waste; said waste-guiding member having an intermediate portion, an upwardly projecting portion, an inwardly directed radial flange extending about at least a portion of a circumference of said upwardly projecting portion, an upper portion extending from said intermediate portion and a downwardly projecting wall depending from said upper portion, said intermediate portion, said upper portion, and said downwardly projecting wall cooperating to define a cavity within which at least a portion of at least one of said handles may be disposed when said waste-guiding member is disposed on said wall of said receptacle; and    said outwardly directed flange of said wall cooperating to releasably, lockably engage with said inwardly projecting flange of said waste-guiding member to thereby releasably, lockably secure said waste-guiding member to said wall.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said waste-guiding member comprises: a first semi-circular portion and a second semi-circular portion; and   wherein said receptacle includes a pair of hinges secured thereto, each one of said hinges being secured to one of said first and second semi-circular portions to allow said first and second semi-circular portions to be pivotally lifted away from said wall of said receptacle to thereby permit said sieve to be lifted outwardly of said receptacle.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said base of said receptacle includes a plurality of feet for elevationally supporting said receptacle above a rest surface. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said feet include securing elements for securing said receptacle to said rest surface. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said wall includes an indication of a maximum level to which said receptacle may be filled with said animal litter material. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said sieve comprises: (1) a plurality of cross members; and   (2) a plurality of generally circular wires supported on said cross members and fixedly secured to said cross members to form a rigid, unitary member.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said openings comprise a radial distance of about 2.5 centimeters to about 0.25 centimeters between adjacent ones of said generally circular wires. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said sieve is formed from a single length of wire in the shape of a spiral; and wherein a radial distance between radially adjacent portions of said single length of wire comprises a distance of between about 2.5 centimeters to about 0.25 centimeters.